With England in chaos as magic returns, Strange comes back home to claim Mr Norrell and rescue Arabella. But can his plan possibly work? Or will the dark prophecy of the Raven King finally be fulfilled?: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0611zjr

Scotland’s War at Sea. 1 / 2: The Dreadnoughts of Scapa Flow

BBC 4: Mon 29 June 2015, 21.00 – 22.00.

As the Great War began, the Royal Navy rushed to Orkney’s great natural harbour, Scapa Flow. David Hayman uncovers the compelling characters of the little-known naval war – the cautious Admiral Jellicoe and the playboy Admiral Beatty. The story of great technologies and epic battles for control of the North Sea.

Mike Walker’s epic chronicle considers the early years of William of Orange and his marriage to James II’s daughter, Mary Stuart. By marrying his English cousin, Dutch William looks to cement an alliance between the two countries and halt Louis XIV’s land-grabbing march across Europe. Neither partnership gets off to an auspicious start: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0606vv7

Book of the Week: Queen of the Desert.

BBC Radio 4: Mon 29 – Fri 3 July 2015, 09.45 – 10.00.

The story of Gertrude Bell and her crucial role in the foundation of the state of Iraq:

Episode 5 of 5: Dar es Salaam – Ubhuche, Invisible Histories of the First World War.

Noting that as many as a million Tanzanians died during the First World War, Oswald Masebo uncovers some of the hidden stores of the past.

Dan Cruickshank’s Civilisation under Attack.

BBC 4: Tues 30 June 2015, 21.00 – 22.00. New.

Islamic State has declared war on the most important and romantic ancient architectural sites in the world. Jihadi fighters seek the total destruction of the wonders of the ancient world that gave us writing, the wheel and the first cities. Dan Cruickshank charts the likely course of Islamic State’s destructive advance and asks how this can be happening and what we can do to stop them. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0615mxc

Edward Mannock VC and James McCudden VC rose from modest backgrounds to become two of Britain’s greatest fighter aces in World War One. As the number of their victories grew, so did their chances of dying in flames. Timewatch tells the story of their battle to survive against the odds, and of the 90-year-old mystery surrounding the death of one of them. http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00jj523

In Our Time: Frederick the Great

BBC Radio 4: Thu 2 July 2015, 09.00 – 09.45

Frederick the Great was King of Prussia from 1740 until his death in 1786. He was much admired by Napoleon and was often romanticised by German historians, becoming a hero for many in united Germany in the 19th and 20th centuries. Others, however, vilified him for aspects such as his militarism and the partition of Poland.